Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1887-06-02
MEMORIAL DAY.
HOW IT WAS OBSERVED IN ELLIS
WORTH.


Day and the muddy state of the streets in
terfered to some extent with the published |
order of exercises, but it was a change of
that really added interest to the
services of the occasion. 1t was intended |
that the Post should march to Woodbine |
cemetery and there aided by the Womans |
Relief Corps, hold the usual services in
memory Of the honored dead; but the |
weather would not permit, and in lieu |
thereof a detachment was sent out in the |
forenoon To decorate the soldiers graves
In Woodbine and st. Josephs Catholic |
cemeteries a. well a. in all of the outly |
ing cemeteries in the jurisdiction of the |
Post.
At two O'Clock in the afternoon the Post |
marched from Grand Army Hall to Han |
cock Hall. stepping tn the music of most |
excellent drum and fife corps improvised |
for the occasion and made up as follows F:
II. y JOY. ffe; Chas. ". Bcal. tenor
drum: John Malone. bass drum. At the |
hall the Post was Joined by the W r. C. |
and both bodies took the seats reserved |
for them large and interested audience |
was in attendance: most acceptable music |
was furnished by a select choir, under the |
direction Of DIR. Geo w Bragdon, with |
Miss Lizzie Crippen a. organist The
solemn hui beautiful public service. me-
rno-ia to the honorcd dead a. prescribed
In the ritual was read, and monument
impruyi>cd for the occasion was decorated
with flowers as a floral tribute to every
soldiers grave. under the care Of the Post
Then several little girls came forward and
sung a very appropriate piece and rccited
some beautiful words prepared by an Els
worth lady for the occasion. the sturdy
color-hcarcr Of the Post holding over them
all the while the Post flag The little girls
performed their parts admirably and 20
touchngly that they brought tears to the
eyes Of more than one " the sturdy yeter-
ans present
At 80 O'Clock 2. NJ. the Post marched
To- the American House and escorted the
orator Of the day, Judge Enoch Foster Of
Bethel to Hancock Hall. J. G. Chilcott.
commander of the Post, In introducing
the speaker. referred to the cherished mem
Dries Of the war and In this connection
said Marching side by side in my own
regiment there might have been seen farm
er> from the valley o: the kennebcc or the
hill>idcs of oxford, seamen or fishermen
from the long and sinuou> coast line OF
towns of Maine. hardy lumbermcn from the
waters Of the Union or the PcnohScot or
some other numbering region OF the
State. the mechanic from the shipyard and
the workshop. etc. etc. In recollection
can see them now and among them i'll my
own regiment. a Young lieutenant, fresh
from The classic halls of Bowdoin. ! sec
him lea, ing behind him home and friends.
sacrificing hi> future prospects to which
he looked forward with bright hopes
and laudablc ambition, that he might de
fend hi> country> fiaE which had been a.
sailed by treason. see in him brave
and efficient officer and a man true To him
self in all the work he had to do.
When the war closed. l followed the ca
rcer Of this Young lieutenant with great
interest, | saw him enter law oaicc a. a
student. later saw him admitted to the
bar a. al attorney at law read Of him
representing the brave. sturdy oxford
Bears of which he Is one. in the Senate of
Maine; AMI when few wears ago, heard
that this man had been promoted to the
ii r. -
Court Of the State. received the news
with thrill OF pride and feeling of sat
! THIS man. older nv quarter OF a ceIi-
fury than he was in the days of the war
| but still young, i present on this platform
To address YOU. He LAYS aside all the dig
nifty and the errnine of the Judge, To be
! come enc with u, in heart and spirit a
| courade in the q. 4. X. In fact he has for
! years been 4 member OF the q. \. Il. hay
! ing been the first commander of the Post
in the town in which he resides. 1t gives
Inc great pleasure. may say pride TO in
| trpduce to you a. the speaker Of the even
ing my comrade in the dcar old 18Th
Maine Lieut. Foster now Judge Foster Of
| Bethel
Judge Fosters address is generally con
| coded to be one of the finest ever delivered
| in Ellsworth 1t was scholarly, thought
full and eloquent; it was broad timely and
exhaustive; it was pure, catholic and in
spring and ii Mas listened to By the large
audience in attendance with the closest at
tention throughout He commenced 10y
| speaking Of the memories awakened by
the services OF the day and the great chang
e. which have taken place in the % wears
4 which have passed away since the begin
| ming of the war He said How made
| quate j. speech in the concentration of
the nations dead. 1t is not the classic
! funeral procession Of the passed centuries
| that we come here 10 commemorate: il is
| the events Of our own time replete with
! significance and importance to Us. We
| have come together, comrades. for ser
| vice of peculiar sacredness. The com
rades who have gone are TO Us as if they
lived to-day. Our hair grows gray, but
theirs does not and their faces retain the
marks of young manhood with which they
We're stamped in the stirring days of the
war.
When we shall have died, the personal re-
collections Of that war will have died with
us and those who come after US will know
of il only a a matter of history.
This day has grown into a national an
niyersary because the nation needs it.
Nothing can take the place Of day like
this. From our eastern shores 10 the far
off Oregon the sun shines on countless
thousands engaged in the services of this
day. We may erect monuments and man
soleums to the dead. but these will not take
the place Of the simple floral tributes
which we offer this day to the memory of
our dead comrades. These flowers will
fade tomorrow, but they leave the fra
GRANGE of our affection which will al
ways be fresh. The duties of this day
are duties we owe not only 10 the dead but
to the living as well, that the young may
he taught lessons of patriotism. In all
ages there have been special honors paid